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YELAS JUMPS OUT TO BIG LEAD IN CITGO
BASSMASTERS CLASSIC
Kansan Brent Chapman in 13th
Lay Lake Surrenders 18-Pound-Plus
Catch
to Veteran Texas Pro
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., -July 25, 2002 - Veteran pro Jay Yelas has qualified for 12 consecutive
appearances in the prestigous CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic, but
has never come close to winning fishing's most important total.
On Thursday, the 36-year-old Texas angler
gave notice that the 2002 Classic might just be his tournament
to win or lose.
Yelas, a four-time B.A.S.S. winner, brought
an impressive five-fish mixed bag of Lay Lake largemouth and
spotted bass weighing 18 pounds, 9 ounces to the scales in the
Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center to take a sizable lead in the
three-day event and stake early claim to its $200,000 top prize.
California pro Aaron Martens, fishing in
his fourth Classic, is second with 14-1, followed by reigning
B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year Davy Hite of South Carolina (13 pounds)
and Missouri's Ken Christ (12-14). Texas pro and renowned lure
designer Gary Yamamoto rounds out the top five with 11-13.
But it was Yelas' day in the spotlight
as he jumped out to a 4 1/2-pound lead.
"I just had a phenomenal day - the
best day I've ever had in the Classic," he said. "It's
the first time I've ever been leading the Classic.
"It was one of those days when everything
just fell into place perfectly for me. It was just a dream day.
I feel like I'm on one of the strongest streaks of momentum in
my 15-year career in fishing."
Yelas caught nine keeper-sized bass on
Thursday, including a 6-2 largemouth that took the day's big-bass
honors. Most of his bass fell victim to various Berkley Power
Baits tied to 25-pound test Trilene XT line and fished around
shallow cover, but he hooked an important 3 1/2-pound spotted
bass on a Berkley Frenzy deep-diving crankbait with just minutes
remaining.
Martens, a 29-year-old three-time winner
on the CITGO BASSMASTER Tournament Trail, took advantage of surface-breaking
schooling bass to post the second-best catch of the day. His
limit consisted entirely of spotted bass.
"I'm confident I can win this tournament
on spots exclusively," he said. "That's probably the
worst day I've had here. There are some monster spots in this
lake."
Hite, 37, is a former Classic champion
who won two tournaments this season on the CITGO BASSMASTER Tour.
"Third place is exactly where I wanted
to be after today," he said. "And then move up every
day the next two days.
"Jay's 6-pound fish made a big difference
today. He's got a good lead, but he can be caught. There's lots
and lots of 6-pounders in this lake."
Christ, 47, is one of five amateur anglers
from the B.A.S.S. Federation ranks in the 52-man Classic field.
In fourth place, he hopes to become the second Federation representative
to win the Classic.
"I'm definitely surprised," Christ
said. "I can tell you, until I got that first fish in the
boat today, my stomach was sideways."
The Classic is much more than just the
crowning event of the CITGO
BASSMASTER Tournament Trail. Classic Week is the annual celebration
of the sport of bass fishing that attracts B.A.S.S. members and
other fishing fans from across the country, who come to meet
their fishing heroes, attend the weigh-ins and participate in
youth and other fan-friendly events.
The launch venue for the event is Paradise
Point Marina. The exciting CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic weigh-in
shows are entertaining crowds daily through Saturday in the Birmingham-Jefferson
Civic Center. With the exception of the launch site, all of the
venues for the event are located in close proximity.
ESPN and ESPN2 will offer same-day coverage
of the Classic during the last three days of its Bass Week programs,
which will air from 5-6 p.m. (ET) on ESPN2 July 22-24, 4-6 p.m.
on ESPN2 July 25 and 26, and 7-11:30 a.m. on ESPN2 and 7-8 p.m.
on ESPN July 27.
By sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments
worldwide through its B.A.S.S. Federation, B.A.S.S. is the world's
largest fishing organization. The CITGO BASSMASTER Tournament
Trail is the oldest and most prestigious pro bass fishing tournament
circuit. It continues to set the standard for credibility, professionalism,
and sportsmanship after more than three decades. B.A.S.S. is
a wholly owned subsidiary of ESPN.
Sponsors of the 2002 CITGO BASSMASTERS
Classic include: CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Chevrolet Trucks,
Mercury Marine, Yamaha Outboards, Triton Boats, Skeeter Boats,
Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, Kumho Tires,
Long John Silver's, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Bass Pro Shops,
Armstrong Industrial Hand Tools, and B.A.S.S. Platinum Visa/First
USA.
Associate Sponsors include Bass Cat Boats
and G3 Boats.
The 2002 CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic will
be presented locally by the State of Alabama, City of Birmingham,
Jefferson County and Shelby County.
32nd Annual CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic
Lay Lake; Birmingham, Ala.
S t a n d i n g s D a y 1
July 25,2002
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jay Yelas Tyler, Texas 5 18-09
2. Aaron Martens Castaic, Calif. 5 14-01
3. Davy Hite Prosperity, S.C. 5 13-00
4. Ken Christ Kansas City, Mo. 5 12-14
5. Gary Yamamoto Mineola, Texas 5 11-13
6. Tommy Martin Hemphill, Texas 5 11-11
7. Bud Pruitt Spring, Texas 5 11-07
8. Kelly Jordon Mineola, Texas 5 11-02
9. Michael Iaconelli Woodbury Heights, N.J. 5 10-15
10. Robert Lee Angels Camp, Calif. 5 9-12
10. Terry Scroggins Palatka, Fla. 5 9-12
10. Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 5 9-12
13. David Walker Sevierville, Tenn. 5 9-09
13. Brent Chapman Shawnee, Kan. 5 9-09
15. Danny Correia Marlboro, Mass. 5 9-02
16. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, Ark. 5 8-15
16. Mark Davis Mount Ida, Ark. 5 8-15
16. Erhardt Tulgestka Alpena, Mich. 5 8-15
19. Jimmy D. Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 5 8-14
20. Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, Ala. 5 8-03
21. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, Ark. 5 8-01
22. John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 4 8-00
23. Woo Daves Spring Grove, Va. 5 7-12
24. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 5 7-11
25. Kotaro Kiriyama New Milford, N.J. 5 7-08
25. Tom Biffle Wagoner, Okla. 5 7-08
27. Chris Daves Spring Grove, Va. 5 7-03
28. O. T. Fears III Sallisaw, Okla. 5 7-02
28. David Wharton Sam Rayburn, Texas 5 7-02
30. Alton Jones Waco, Texas 3 6-11
31. Rick Lillegard Atkinson, N.H. 5 6-10
32. Chris Price Church Hill, Md. 5 6-07
33. Dustin Wilks Raleigh, N.C. 4 6-05
33. Jamie Horton Centreville, Ala. 5 6-05
35. Roland Martin Clewiston, Fla. 4 6-01
35. Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 4 6-01
37. George Cochran Hot Springs, Ark. 4 6-00
38. Edwin Evers Mannsville, Okla. 5 5-08
39. Jack A. Gadlage Logandale, Nev. 3 5-03
40. Randy Howell Trussville, Ala. 4 5-02
41. Luke Clausen Spokane, Wash. 3 4-12
42. Frank Scalish Cleveland, Ohio 4 4-03
43. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 4 3-12
44. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 3 3-07
45. Jeff Coble Henderson, N.C. 2 3-00
46. Chuck Economou Redington, Fla. 3 2-13
47. Charles Hammack New Caney, Texas 1 2-05
48. Carl Maxfield Summerville, S.C. 1 2-02
49. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, S.C. 2 2-01
50. Mike O'Shea Thousand Oaks, Calif. 2 1-10
50. Ron Colby West Jordan, Utah 1 1-10
52. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, Ark. 1 0-13
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Big Bass
Day
1 Jay Yelas Tyler, Texas 6-02 $1,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 32 217 383-10
B.A.S.S. Notebook
News and notes from the World Championship
of Bass Fishing
Classic Fact
Day 1 leader Jay Yelas has competed in the last 12 Classics.
Yelas is tied with Kevin VanDam for the longest active streak
of Classic appearances. Rick Clunn holds the all-time record
of 28 consecutive appearances, which ended this year.
Staying Found
Although Lay Lake is not a huge body of water, the importance
of locating and returning to specific areas is all-important.
Missing a drop-off or ledge by 10 feet can result in an empty
livewell. This year, Classic contenders are depending on a Lowrance
X-15 to guide them to productive areas. The X-15 not only provides
high-detail images of structure, water depth and temperature,
but also includes a GPS unit that maps the lake being fished.
A split-screen feature allows the Classic anglers to view the
graph and GPS simultaneously.
To Lead Or Not To Lead
Only four times in the 31-year-history of B.A.S.S. has the Day
1 leader won the Classic. Twelve Day 2 leaders have claimed the
championship title.
Quote From The New Wildlife Boss
"The coolest thing I've heard all day is that ESPN is bringing
back the American Sportsman TV show. I grew up watching the program
and think we need more shows like it. Programming that puts outdoor
activities in the spotlight is badly needed."
-- Steve Williams, Director, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife
Gear Used By Classic Anglers
Last year at the CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic in New Orleans, many
of the pros on the weigh-in stage talked about the long, high-speed
runs with their Mercury OptiMax direct fuel injected outboards.
They spoke about the reliability of their engines during the
four- to five-hour trips to and from their fishing spots on one
tank of gas. This year the 200 hp OptiMax engines they're using
are even better. Better because they go faster, have better hole
shot and top-end speed, and boast up to 45 percent better fuel
economy.
Quote Of The Day
"I caught my two big fish on a forked limb. Before I made
my first cast I noticed a BUSCH Light can sitting there. Ironic
eh?"
-- Day 1 leader Jay Yelas commenting on his success today and
the recently announced Anhueser-Busch sponsorship naming BUSCH
the "Official beer of B.A.S.S.
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